M&S comeback: 5 M&S facts that may surprise you

Recent years have seen M&S stores close down as the chain struggled to stay relevant, but the retailer's fortunes appear to be on the rise, having regained its dominance in womenswear and food.

M&S has announced soaring sales and profits, securing a return to the FTSE 100 Index after it dropped out in 2019. Changes made to the brand's products and stores are thought to be behind its resurgence.

Our experts have taken a closer look at precisely what has changed at M&S, examining its refreshed line-up of brands and asking whether it truly represents value for money.

1. M&S has had a rocky ride with online food

For years, M&S was known as one of the few food retailers that didn't have much of an online offering. But that changed in 2020 when the brand signed a deal with Ocado.

The partnership has not been without its ups and downs according to industry experts, with Ocado having posted a loss earlier this year.

The good news for Ocado is that it topped the table of online retailers in our latest supermarket customer satisfaction survey results. 

Shoppers we spoke to praised Ocado's selection of products, the availability of delivery slots and customer service. 

However, although Ocado was a Which? Recommended Provider for online grocery deliveries in 2022, it didn't win our accolade in 2023 as it's often the second-most expensive supermarket in our monthly supermarket price comparison.

Feedback also suggests M&S's own online operation via its website, where it sells clothes, furniture and beauty products, may not be as slick as it would like.

There have been issues with the in-store click and collect and returns service with some stores forgetting to register customers’ orders as having been collected, causing delays on processing refunds.

If you are picking up your online order in an M&S outlet, double-check the store has marked it as having been collected.

Find out how shoppers rate the online supermarket in our Ocado review.

2. M&S food and drink doesn't always triumph

Despite its reputation for quality, our taste tests prove there are times M&S food can be left behind by its rivals.

Our tests are carried out with the help of a panel of experts or a large sample of consumers, who never know which brand's products they're trying.

This can produce plenty of surprising results.

M&S fared well when we tested its treat foods such as hot chocolate, hot cross buns and frozen pains au chocolat.

But M&S finished in last place when we tried Heinz ketchup alternatives, vegan burgers and pepperoni pizza.

In addition, our tests have found a Lidl chocolate-covered ice cream that scored higher on taste and was almost half the price of the M&S equivalent.

Signing up to become a Which? member gives you access to the full range of our independent taste test results, including beer and wine.

3. M&S is working on its value ranges

Although M&S has long been associated with quality products, they often come at a high price. Our latest review of M&S - part of the annual Which? supermarkets survey of shoppers - saw the retailer score just two stars for value for money. Aldi and Lidl were among the names that scored higher in the same category.

And, as we have said, Ocado - which sells M&S products as part of its online grocery offering - also remains one of the more expensive supermarkets, according to our supermarket price comparison research.

But it appears M&S is taking steps to make its food more affordable. The brand's annual report says sales in its Remarksable Value range, which includes eggs, mince and tinned tomatoes, have increased by 40%. These purchases are said to have appeared in more than 20% of customer baskets over the past year.

We looked at the cheapest options available at eight different supermarkets for a basket of popular groceries to see how M&S compares with its rivals for value. Most items in our basket were available in the stores' budget ranges but we've also given the prices of standard-tier items where they exist, alongside a budget version of the same item, as they may be of more comparable quality. 

Shoppers looking for a box of six medium eggs at M&S would have the choice of buying six mixed-size eggs instead, costing £1.25, which were in the Remarksable Value range.

How does the Remarksable Value range compare with the cheapest items at other supermarkets?

Prices correct as of 22 September 2023.

* Cheapest item was £1.90 when this story was first published

An M&S spokesperson said: 'Our Remarksable Value range isn’t a budget range. It is made up of everyday staples, price benchmarked against key competitors, which offer great value and never compromise on our quality standards. Over 100 products are included and we regularly review the products included in the range.'

She added that more than 100 other customer favourites had been price locked until after Christmas.

Meanwhile, the brand's Dine In deal, which offers what M&S describes as 'restaurant-quality meals at affordable prices', is now available all year.

However, while the deal used to include wine, it no longer does and the Gastropub Dine In price has gone up from £10 to £12 - although there are more menu options available.

M&S said: 'We always use the highest-quality ingredients for our Dine In and they offer a great value option instead of eating out. For example, our Pizza Night Dine In for £12 includes two pizzas and two sides and our Family Dine In serves four for £15 and includes a choice of two mains and four extras.'

Although M&S says its customers' rating of its value for money on food is the highest it's been in six years, the results of our shopper survey prove there's still work to be done.

 Find out how more than 150 M&S shoppers rated its stores for grocery shopping in our Marks & Spencer review.

4. M&S has become a campaigning voice on underwear

M&S is a popular destination for shoppers looking for new underwear and is well-known for its wide range and its bra fittings. The chain has now expanded its brief to take the lead on a range of extra underwear initiatives.

For one, the retailer offers a bra recycling service thanks to a partnership with Shwop for Oxfam. M&S customers are encouraged to donate their old bras to in-store 'Shwop boxes'.

The retailer is also calling on the government to remove the VAT that applies to period pants, which are classified as garments and therefore taxed at 20%.

Last month, M&S, John Lewis, Tesco and Waitrose confirmed they have reduced the prices of their period underwear by 20%.

5. New brands are landing in store

A trip to M&S used to mean shopping for in-house brands only, but the retailer has now expanded its selection to include other well-known ranges.

Seasalt, Hobbs, Jaeger and Laura Ashley home accessories are among the big-name brands that can now be found at M&S.

In total, M&S is now working with 60 third-party brands, partly to fill in gaps in its offering (such as toys). Some of its investments have been unexpected - last year, M&S bought the intellectual property of an online fashion retailer called Thread with the aim of improving its own website.

However, not all its partner brands can be found in every shop - for example Jaeger is available in 26 stores across the UK and Ireland, as well as online.

Our customer survey of the best fashion and beauty and health shops, based on real shoppers' experiences and expert analysis, suggests there is still some work to do in widening and communicating the extent of its offering, with M&S scoring three stars for product range or availability.

It was a similar story in our survey of the best places to buy furniture, although M&S did score highly in other areas.

Actress Sienna Miller has recently been announced as the face of the M&S autumn campaign. Celebrity tie-ins have been used frequently by M&S to design collections and promote its Christmas campaigns.

The question is whether a glamorous fashion campaign will lead consumers to see it as a destination for stylish clothes.

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